Myc proteins in brain tumor development and maintenance

Abstract

Myc proteins are often deregulated in human brain tumors, especially in embryonal tumors that affect children. Many observations have shown how alterations of these pleiotropic Myc transcription factors provide initiation, maintenance, or progression of tumors. This review will focus on the role of Myc family members (particularly c-myc and Mycn) in tumors like medulloblastoma and glioma and will further discuss how to target stabilization of these proteins for future brain tumor therapies.

Figure 1.

Schematic model of the regulatory pathways for Myc proteins from activating signals of collaborating oncogenes to protein destabilization and proteasomal degradation. Suggested activating pathways (in red) and inhibiting pathways (in green) with putative involvement in brain tumor development and maintenance.